During the 2002-03 School Year Our Parent Advisory Committee Met Several Times. During those meeting we identified the strengths of special education programs/services, as well as, our concerns.

    *indicates that response was given repeated times

Strengths                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

1.  Knowledge level of staff.

2. Record Keeping/Documentation

3.  Caring Attitude of Staff*

4.  Flexibility

5.  Cooperation with outside agencies

6.  Communication*

7.  Willingness to work with parents

8.  Related Services/Quality Therapists

9.  High Student Expectations

10. Receptiveness to look at student needs

11. Willingness to try new/different strategies

12.  School-wide approach to serving students*

13.  Inclusion of students with special needs with general population

14.  Local Ownership of students with special needs*

15.  Paraprofessional/Aide Support

16.  Emerging participation of students with special needs in extra-curricular activities (sports, homecoming, student council)**

17.  Preschool Transition

18.  Identification &Transition services to kindergarten

19.  Screening/Early Intervention

20. Parent Support from R-O-D Personnel

Concerns

1.  Adult Transition from school to work

2.  Vocational Rehabilitation-tapping into their services

3.  High State Standards placing increased stress on students with special needs****

4.  Teaching students self advocacy

5.  General Education Teacher training*

6.  Finding Licensed personnel

7.  Increased class sizes

8.  Training of teaching assistance (training needs to be ongoing, increased restrictions

may cause more of a shortage)

9.   Limited opportunities for staff to see quality programs

10. Limited/Outdated materials or books*

11. Tendency to offer candy/pop as reinforcers

12. Awareness of the special education cooperative by parents new to the special

education process

13. Money to support programs*

    THIS YEAR...............................

Our Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) recently met the first time for the 2003-04 school year.

Below are some ideas we will be implementing.

1.  Our PAC is currently working to develop an annual newsletter that

will be sent home to parents to provide them with information about special education.

2.  We have placed information on the website and will make updates to let

parents know what the PAC is doing.

3. The PAC will also put information into the Independence Newsletter for Transitioning Teens,

which is developed 4 times per year by the ROD Special Education Cooperative.